.net - Should C# have a lazy key word -

should c# have lazy keyword make lazy initialization easier?

e.g.

    public lazy string lazyinitializestring = getstringfromdatabase(); 

instead of

    private string _backingfield;      public string lazyinitializestring     {                 {             if (_backingfield == null)                 _backingfield = getstringfromdatabase();             return _backingfield;         }     } 

i don't know keyword has system.lazy<t> type.

• it officially part of .net framework 4.0.
• it allows lazy loading of value member.
• it supports lambda expression or method provide value.

example:

public class classwithlazymember {     lazy<string> lazysource;     public string lazyvalue     {                 {             if (lazysource == null)             {                 lazysource = new lazy<string>(getstringfromdatabase);                 // same lazysource = new lazy<string>(() => "hello, lazy world!");                 // or lazysource = new lazy<string>(() => getstringfromdatabase());             }             return lazysource.value;         }     }      public string getstringfromdatabase()     {         return "hello, lazy world!";     } } 

test:

var obj = new classwithlazymember();  messagebox.show(obj.lazyvalue); // calls getstringfromdatabase() messagebox.show(obj.lazyvalue); // not call getstringfromdatabase() 

in above test code, getstringfromdatabase() gets called once. think want.

edit:

after having comments @dthorpe , @joe, can following shortest can be:

public class classwithlazymember {     lazy<string> lazysource;     public string lazyvalue { { return lazysource.value; } }      public classwithlazymember()     {         lazysource = new lazy<string>(getstringfromdatabase);     }      public string getstringfromdatabase()     {         return "hello, lazy world!";     } } 

because following not compile:

public lazy<string> lazyinitializestring = new lazy<string>(() => {     return getstringfromdatabase(); }); 

and property type of lazy<string> not string. you need access it's value using lazyinitializestring.value.

and, open suggestions on how make shorter.